Tag Archives: Bologna

#GrazingItalyUK – street scenes Bologna

Nov. 19 & 20
To say that Bologna is a college town is to understate the weight and scale of its university – the oldest in Europe.
It feels as if the tenor and content of this city, and especially the well-preserved city center, is visibly influenced by the young population walking its cobbled streets, biking from here to there and zipping by on scooters. At the same time, it would seem foolish to ignore how these students, from all over the world, are affected by the churches, museums and college buildings that date back hundreds of years.
The University of Bologna isn’t a campus that sits out on a rural landscape. Not at all. It’s many buildings form the ancient walls of the inner city itself. Thousands of locals and tourists weave through the university’s covered arches every day at every hour.
These are just a few things observed as Dessa and I walked to churches, markets, museums and coffee shops.
Sylvia

#GrazingItalyUK – B&B breakfast and Slow Food at Casa Visconti

Nov. 19 Not all food is authentic Bolognese
The Casa Visconti B&B in the heart of Bologna is proving to be a find, in great part due to lively proprietress Claudia Visconti. Our room and sitting area are bright and art filled, the bathroom tidy and efficient, and the breakfast lovely and tasty. (What’s not to like about frothy espresso, sliced stawberries and Kiwi, and an assortment of pastries?)
The gem, however, is Ms. Visconti herself: energetic, enthusiastic about her city, and discerning about the origins and preperations of meals.
Not everything is “authentic,” she asserts, and she goes out of her way to point us to bistros and restaurants grounded in sourcing from local farms anchored in sustainable practice and in excellent preparation. I’m hoping I can connect with the Slow Food leaders she recommended.
Dessa and I shared our table with a couple from Luxemburg, owners of a store dedicated to artisinal foods from around the world. Real food devotees, they were in town for a Dillan concert. They shared their outlooks on the slow appreciation of links between agricultural practice, nutrition, taste and the cost of good food.
More on these conversations in a future posts.
Sylvia